1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a thermo-conductive hopper and, more particularly, to a thermo-conductive paintball hopper for housing paintball mobiles in a heated environment.
2. Prior Art
When engaged in any one of the numerous varieties of paintball games, one player attempts to hit another player with a spherical ball containing paint or some other type of marking material discharged from a compressed air or gas operated marking device. It is often advantageous to be able to fire rapidly and continuously in order to increase the chances of hitting an opponent with a paintball.
The paintball guns typically have magazines or hoppers attached to the paintball guns for holding only about one or two hundred paintballs. Due to safety concerns these projectiles must be in a pliable state, such that the outer covering may burst upon impact and spread the paint contained therein on the individual who has been hit. In colder weather, especially experienced during the winter months and the Northern states, this can create an undesirable situation where the temperature has dropped sufficiently such that the paintballs freeze. As a result, these solid projectiles cannot be fired properly from the guns and are more dangerous to the players because the outer covering will not burst upon impact. It would be advantageous to have a means of keeping the paintballs at a desired temperature different from the ambient temperature so that the projectiles do not freeze.
Accordingly, a need remains for a thermo-conductive paintball hopper for housing paintball mobiles in a heated environment in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a hopper that is easy to use and allows an individual to play paintball in colder weather. Such a hopper allows owners of paintball ranges to keep their businesses open for longer periods of time, thus increasing their revenue. Furthermore, more players will become interested in this activity since it would no longer be limited to a short, seasonal time span, thereby justifying the buying of the equipment necessary to participate safely.